The Manistee and Grand Rapids is one of the
gour railroads entering Manistee, and like the others has its terminus
here. This road was organized on November 18, 1889, with a capital
stock of $1,000,000 and was at first operated as a logging road. The
strategic position of the line, however, extending as it does seventy
miles to the southeast from Manistee, and shortening the distance to
points south, east and west has brought the Manistee and Grand Rapids
rapidly to the front as a freight line and assured the future success of
the road.

Organization

The offices of the Manistee and Grand Rapids are located at 433 River
street in this city and have all the necessary equipment for the
transaction of a general railroad business. The officers of the
company are: John Canfield, president and general manager; Louis
Sands, vice president; T. J. Ramsdell, secretary; E. G. Filer,
treasurer; E. N. Saling, auditor; H. W. Marsh, assistant
auditor and traffic manager; J. W. Reading, superintendent; E.
M. Muenscher, chief engineer.

The Manistee and Grand Rapids operates seventy miles of road, extending
from Manistee, the western terminus, to Tustin, Lake County, which is the
eastern terminus of the line. The road connects with the Chicago and
West Michigan railroad at Canfield, and with the Grand Rapids and Indiana
at Luther, which enables it to shorten the time from this city to Grand
Rapids, Chicago, and other points east and south by an hour, and will
ultimately result in the establishment of a passenger service out of this
city.

Equipment

In the line of rolling stock the Manistee and Grand Rapids owns one
hundred flat cars, four box cars, two combination passenger and baggage
cars, and three locomotives. The road employees five station agents
and has buildings and station facilities at Manistee, Oak Hill, Filer
City, Millerton, Canfield and Luther. The Manistee terminal
facilities are excellent, embracing yards and freight buildings in the
heart of the city, connecting with valuable water front on the Manistee
river.

Condition of the Road

The Manistee and Grand Rapids has been very successful from the
beginning and has no indebtedness. In 1896 Mr. H. W. Marsh, the
present traffic manager, inaugurated a general freight service which has
proven a very successful venture, the earnings of the line have steadily
increased, making the introduction of a passenger service the next step in
the evolution of the road. This will shortly be done and the result
will be a material improvement in the railroad facilities possessed by
Manistee. The Adams Express company operates over the line of the
M&GR.

Mr. H. W. Marsh

Henry W. Marsh, the assistant auditor and traffic manager of the
Manistee and Grand Rapids railroad, was born in Racine, Wisconsin,
February 9, 1847, where he lived for the first sixteen years of his life.
He attended the public schools and also the high school of that city,
coming to Manistee in 1864, where he has since resided.

Mr. Marsh holds the office of vice president of the Canfield Salt and
Lumber Company, and also the Union Lumber and Salt company, and is the
secretary of the Wolverine Oil Company. In July 1896, he was elected
a member of the board of education for a term of three years. He has
proven himself an efficient railroad man, and since assuming the
management of the M&GRRR in 1896 has brought about a substantial
improvement in the condition of the affairs and prospects of this company.